1. The origin of glutinous rice balls

It is said that glutinous rice balls originated in the Song Dynasty. At that time, a novel food emerged in Mingzhou (now Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province), that is, black sesame seeds and pork suet were used as stuffing, a little sugar was added, and glutinous rice flour was rubbed into a circle outside. After cooking, it tasted sweet and soft, with endless aftertaste. At the same time, glutinous rice balls symbolize family reunion, and eating glutinous rice balls also means family happiness and reunion in the new year, so it is a must-have food for the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first month.

2. The Legend of Tangyuan

According to legend, there was a maid-in-waiting named "Yuanxiao" in the palace during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, who spent many years in seclusion in the palace, missing her parents and spending all her time in Lacrimosa.

Dong Fangshuo, the minister, was determined to help her, so she lied to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that Vulcan was ordered by the Jade Emperor to burn Chang 'an on the 15th day of the first month, and the only way to escape the trouble was to let the "Lantern Festival Girl" make a lot of dumplings that Vulcan loved to eat on the 15th day of the first month, and all the subjects decorated them with lanterns. With the help of Emperor Wu, the "Lantern Festival Girl" finally met her family. Since then, the Lantern Festival has been formed.

Tangyuan Culture

Eating Tangyuan is a traditional custom of the Han people, especially in the south of the Yangtze River. There is a folk saying that "eating glutinous rice balls is one year older". Chen Zhisui's "Tangyuan" poem says: "Every winter solstice, everyone cooks, and at the age of one, everyone knows nothing." As the saying goes, "Every family in Ningbo makes glutinous rice, and contentment is always another day."

Hu Bingyan also wrote a poem: "Sweet glutinous rice is used to make dumplings, and boiling water is rich and salty. The entrance is sweet and smooth, and the whole family is happy and drunk. " "Ningbo Tangyuan" is a necessary food and a round dessert made of glutinous rice flour. "Round" means "reunion" and "perfection". Eating Tangyuan during festivals symbolizes family harmony and auspiciousness, so it is also called "Floating Yuanzi".

On the fifteenth day of the first month of the Lantern Festival, "Ningbo Tangyuan", as a food, has a long history in China. This kind of food was first called "Floating Yuanzi" and later called "Tangyuan", also known as Yuanxiao; "Tangyuan" is filled with sesame seeds, bean paste, walnut kernels, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and wrapped in glutinous rice flour into a round shape, which can be vegetarian and has different flavors. It can be boiled in soup, fried and steamed, which means a happy reunion.